Well well well, for someone who was desperate to reassure anyone that would listen that “don’t worry, I’ll update my blog, like, every minute”, I haven’t really been doing a very good job at keeping y’all up to date. In fact, the last post was on the 22nd August, back when I was in the tropics, officially. By now I’m in far more temperate climes, and I actually fly out of Oz this coming Monday. Crazy!

So, what have I been up to?

Well, there was the Whitsundays trip, where the outwards journey (of a 2 day 2 night sailing trip) was full of the fun of getting your sea legs on a boat fighting its way through three metre swells and against 30 knot winds. It was, to keep it short, a little bit (shall we say) choppy. Thank god it calmed down in the end though, and the tour of the beautiful islands actually saw a little bit of sun. Wowee! The highlights had to include snorkeling with some funky coloured fishies, and more than anything the sheer scale of the sky at night. I have never before seen such a parade of stars in such a pitch black sky, it was beautiful.

My boat, Avatar, on the Whitsundays

How's that for a good shot?!

From Airlie I continued heading down south, and thankfully the ground only rocked when I closed my eyes for a few hours after I got off the boat! I don’t think I could have handled anything more! The trip down south involved more hours on a bus than I care to say, but we did manage to break it up with trips to various snake and croc infested parks, a highlight for someone who is still endlessly entertained by the comparatively dull British wildlife, let alone the creatures of a place dedicated to nasty bitey dangerous things!

He was a scary looking fella!

The big bus journeys paid off though, and eventually I ended up in Rainbow beach. It’s a small little place, a bit quaint, but the main reason so many backpackers migrate there like whales on heat (sorry, sorry, whale based joke had to be made as this location was whale-watching central for all the Humpback whale breeding going on!) is because it is close to the treacherous and shark-filled waters of Fraser Island. I did a day trip out here, and saw Dingos, rainforest and even some dolphins on our way over. It was a great day, and the lunch in particular was delish!

A very healthy looking Dingo on Fraser Island

After stopping in at all these backpacking places, I just had one night in Brisbane (which I made the most of, to be fair, taking in art galleries and gardens and views oh my!) before flying to Melbourne. That’s where I’ve just been – abusing my host’s hospitality in the No. 1 Most Livable City in the World. Not bad going, really. I’ve been to the aquarium (my swotting up on shark knowledge by reading through “The Secret Life of Sharks” on the way down really paid off here!), strolled around the town and war memorials, and I even attended an AFL match. Except for the fact that I got wildly drunk, and the fact that Aussie Rules football is a crazy game invented by crazy people purely to confuse us foreigners, I think a good time was had over the few days I got to stay there.

As for now, well I’m Sydney-wards, completing my last few days in the should-be-capital before I fly to NZ. I can’t believe a month is nearly over, and that I am nearly on my second country of the trip. It really does fly by, and whilst I obviously am not counting the days to getting home, it is also reassuring to know that it is approaching, and that I will get to see familiar faces, places and things (OK, not things in general, mainly just shoes. Beautiful shoes. And dresses. And hair-straighteners) in good time. For those few moments where home is all you can think of, a deadline is the sort of encouraging thought that makes you able to enjoy the time you do have away. If that makes any sense…

So yes, a good time still being had by all, with much being done, seen and enjoyed. I’ll update you all again soon enough, and for now I will leave you with the skyline of Melbs, and a shot of me with birds on my head. Lovely.

Sunny Mellbourne (I have been VERY lucky with the weather!)

Checking out the birds (sorry, sorry)

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Who am I?

My name is Lauren Cooke. Freelance writer, blogger, fashion and shoe addict. Committed to eBay, fashion errors and vintage clothes. I spend far too much money with reckless (budgeted) abandon, and like nothing more than letting you guys share in the life of a totally normal weirdo.